It was 1934 when Winchester Repeating Arms introduced the Model 67, a bolt action, single shot .22 caliber rifle. Not long ago, a good friend presented me with an old rifle and a familiar story.

His grandfather had taught him how to shoot with the old Winchester from an early age. The child grew into a man, and went on to become a decorated Marine Corp sniper and avid outdoorsman. That beat-up old Winchester 67 came to him after his grandfather’s passing, and now he was trusting me to refurbish it. I was honored to accept the challenge.

Model 67 barrel

This was going to take some time. I knew nothing of this particular rifle, so I began my research and carefully disassembled it. The stock looked as if used for batting practice – multiple cracks, gouges, notches, and marks from handling were evident.

Damaged stock

With new walnut on order, I turned my attention to the long-neglected metal. It was nearly as rough as the stock – gouges, scrapes, and dimples stared back at me through the faded bluing.

Old Barrel

After many hours of gentle filing and sanding, the metal fairly gleamed. I left a couple of little “scars” on the metal that help show its age and travels, but the barrel was finally ready for bluing. I selected a product called “Oxpho-Blue” from Brownells for its superior results, and got busy. After six coats of the cold blue elixir and much burnishing with steel wool, the barrel and receiver looked almost new again.

Freshly Blued Barrel

Still, the barrel needed that little something extra….but what ? I mulled it over, did some more research, and got inspired. The OEM sights were utilitarian, to say the least, so they were replaced with (Michigan made) Marble’s sights. The rear sight is adjustable, the front sight a gold bead. But what this baby really needed was a freshly-cut crown on the old muzzle !

After more searching and reading, I decided this was a job that I could easily do myself. The difficult part was determining the right method that would achieve the desired result. I consulted with Dave Manson, President of Manson Precision Reamers (link) in nearby Grand Blanc, Michigan. Dave was a most gracious host, and invited me to his shop to demonstrate their unique method of cutting a new crown using simple hand tools. After seeing their Muzzle Crown Cutter in action on this old barrel, I was so impressed that I bought one on the spot.

With that done, I’m turning attention back to the walnut stock and the smaller pieces that must be polished and re-blued. Any metal part that could be polished with Dremel tool and Flitz polishing compound got the treatment. Small screws were even refinished – peened flat again, their heads polished smooth, and new slots cut and filed sharp. In my next post I’ll demonstrate my work on the walnut stock, and all that it entails.